1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and a method for dynamically adjusting the position of wheels of an automotive vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and a method for dynamically adjusting the toe angle of wheels of an automotive vehicle in response to the driving conditions of the wheels and the vehicle speed.
2. Description of the Art
When an automotive vehicle is turning either by travel along a curved road or during cornering, driving safety would be enhanced if the rear wheels could be moved in or out of phase with the direction of the steering front wheels. It is known, for example, that when a vehicle turns while at low speed, the diameter of the path taken by the rear wheels is minimized if the rear wheels are adjusted to a directional orientation opposite those taken by the steering front wheels. Additionally, at high speed, better traction is achieved during turns if the rear wheels are adjusted to assume the same directional orientation as the front wheels.
The directional orientation of the wheels of automotive vehicles, other than by steering, is conventionally determined by the toe angle. The toe angle is normally controlled by the running speed of the automotive vehicle and the preset toe-in. Other operating conditions of the vehicle conventionally have no effect on the toe angle of the wheels. Thus, the wheels of an automotive vehicle do not assume optimum positions for various driving conditions, such as turning or driving the surface of the road is wet or is iced over.
The present invention provides a system for adjusting the position of automotive vehicle wheels and a method for controlling the position of the automotive vehicle wheels that can ensure safe driving by adjusting the front and rear wheel positions in dynamic response to the running speed and operating conditions of the automotive vehicle. Additional advantages of the invention are set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may learned by practice of the invention.